On March 9th, 2024, NASP held its Virginia State Archery Tournament in Richmond, Virginia. Hidden Valley sent one of its Titans, Andi Byerly, to represent the school. This was her first attendance since COVID-19 kept the world in quarantine and her last as a Hidden Valley senior.
Archers and archery teams gathered from all over the state of Virginia for a chance to prove themselves and win the first-place position. But the 2024 event, ran by new higher-ups, had mishaps that Byerly hadn’t experienced before. “Past tournaments went great and smoothly. This year’s, though, was honestly kind of tiring. [We] waited from 08:00AM to 04:00PM and we weren’t even sure if I was going to get to shoot. But I earned two new friends and ended up shooting pretty well!” Byerly (12) remarks.
When the coaches were further questioned about what issues they encountered, it was summarized that NASP lost their information and registration. It took hours to squeeze Byerly into the lineup after staff bantered with them. Byerly’s score totaled a respectable 239, though, without a team, she could not participate for a trophy or medal. When hit with that revelation, she shrugged and commented that it was the experience that she was after, not a material reward.
“I don’t care much about the reward. I’ve been shooting since the 6th grade. I enjoy bonding with the team and progressing my skill with a bow and arrows,” Byerly begins. As well as being a member, she uses her experience to assist with coaching the HVHS Archery Club that she represented at the tournament. When she is not shooting, she stands behind the shooting line giving advice to new archers about aspects such as stance, safety, and where to aim.
Throughout the school, Byerly and the coaches advertise the club on fliers. “We’re not an official school sport, so everything comes out of our pockets, not the school’s,” Beamer (Archery), head coach of the team, comments. “We’re always looking for more members, sponsors, and parents who can help out.” This was one of the few years that the team was unable to compete in the tournament due to a lack of serious members. They welcome archers new and old, regardless of experience. If archery is an area of interest or intrigue, Byerly and the coaches encourage HVHS students to join the Archery Club.